Method of controlling the management of annular anchoring structures in a process and a plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels

ABSTRACT

A plant for building a tyre for a vehicle wheel includes a device for building carcass sleeves on building drums, a bead-forming machine, a first storage region, a second storage region, a first transport device movable between a picking-up position of pairs of annular anchoring structures in the first storage region and a release position of the pairs of annular anchoring structures in the bead-forming machine, and a second transport device movable between a first engagement position in the first storage region and a second engagement position in the second storage region, to move a plurality of annular anchoring structures between the first storage region and the second storage region.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/157,673, filed May 18, 2016 (now U.S. Pat. No.10,549,495, which issued on Feb. 4, 2020), which is a divisionalapplication of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/883,170, filed May 2, 2013(now U.S. Pat. No. 9,365,005, which issued on Jun. 14, 2016), which is anational phase application based on PCT/IB2011/054709, filed Oct. 21,2011, which claims the benefit of priority of Italian Patent ApplicationNo. MI2010A002093, filed Nov. 12, 2010, and U.S. Provisional ApplicationNo. 61/416,127, filed Nov. 22, 2010; the contents of each of which arefully incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to a method of controlling the managementof annular anchoring structures in a process and a plant for buildingtyres for vehicle wheels.

A tyre for vehicle wheels generally comprises a carcass structureincluding at least one carcass ply having respectively opposite endflaps in engagement with respective annular anchoring structures,integrated into the regions usually identified as “beads”, having aninner diameter substantially corresponding to a so-called “fittingdiameter” of the tyre on a respective mounting rim.

In the present specification and in the following claims by “annularanchoring structure” it is intended a tyre element comprising a beadcore. Preferably this component comprises a bead core and a fillinginsert. More preferably this component comprises a bead core and afilling insert both enclosed by an edge.

Document WO 2010/70374 in the name of the same Applicant describes aplant and a process for building green tyres for vehicle wheels. Theprocess comprises the steps of: building a carcass structure on a firstforming drum in at least one carcass-structure building line including aplurality of work stations disposed in a sequential series, in which thecarcass structure comprises at least one carcass ply and a pair ofannular anchoring structures; building a crown structure on at least onesecond building drum in at least one crown-structure building linecomprising a plurality of work stations disposed in a sequential series,in which the crown structure comprises at least one belt structure;shaping said carcass structure into a toroidal conformation assemblingit to said crown structure in at least one shaping and assemblingstation. The carcass-structure building line comprises a work stationfor applying a pair of the aforesaid annular anchoring structures to theopposite axial ends of the carcass ply/plies and can further be providedwith devices for turning up the ends of the carcass ply/plies on thecarcass ply itself so as to form loops containing the annular anchoringstructures.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,526 discloses an automatic machine forproducing green tyres. The machine comprises a plurality ofinterconnected and dependent stations in which specialised operationsare carried out by mechanical devices acting in sequence. The machinecomprises a plurality of building drums continuously moving betweenhorizontal stationary tables, at which winding of material on the drumsoccurs, while said drums are being moved across the table on which thematerial is positioned. The drums with the wound material are sent toand positioned on turrets for receiving the bead cores and tread bandthat are subsequently unloaded from the collapsed drums for storage. Atleast one pair of racks capable of horizontally storing the bead coresare positioned close to the turret. A transfer arm is associated witheach rack for moving the bead cores on the turret and means is providedfor bringing the bead cores horizontally arranged on the rack intoengagement with the transfer arm.

The Applicant has verified that in modern tyre-producing plants,production of a plurality of tyre batches is increasingly more required,each batch having a limited number of tyres with different technicalfeatures. This request depends on the market requirements as the marketcontinuously evolves and needs specific tyres for each car and/ormotorcycle (production differentiation), in particular for high-endvehicles, and the tyre performances are required to keep up with theincrease of the motor vehicles and motorcycles' performances. Inaddition, production of a plurality of batches consisting of a limitednumber of tyres meets the requirements of sports contests.

Within the field of automatic plants for tyre building, of the typedescribed in WO 2010/70374, the Applicant has perceived the necessity toincrease flexibility of said plants so as to make it possible to quicklychange the type of tyre produced from a batch to the following one.

In greater detail, the Applicant has perceived the importance ofmanaging (storing, moving, etc.) the constituent elements of a tyre thatare pre-assembled in work stations physically separated from thebuilding lines of a plant of the aforesaid type and only subsequentlyfed to the plant itself.

More particularly, among said pre-assembled elements, the Applicant hasperceived the necessity to simultaneously manage an important number oftypes of annular anchoring structures intended for tyres havingdifferent sizes.

Therefore the Applicant intends to provide a method and a plant that,during building and assembling of the tyre components, are capable ofensuring flexible management of the annular anchoring structures. Inparticular, the Applicant intends to provide a method and a plantallowing different types of annular anchoring structures to be managed,so that the size of the tyres to be produced may be changed with easeand quickness without the presence of idle time between the productionof a batch and that of the following one.

The Applicant has found that by arranging two lines for storage andtransport of the annular anchoring structures, preferably in side byside relationship with each other, close to a bead-forming machinebelonging to a carcass-structure building line, it is possible while atyre batch is being produced, to prepare the annular anchoringstructures intended for the following batch.

More specifically, in a first aspect, the present invention relates to amethod of controlling the management of annular anchoring structures ina plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels, comprising:

-   a) feeding pairs of first annular anchoring structures from a first    storage region to a bead-forming machine;-   b) loading a plurality of second annular anchoring structures into a    second storage region;-   c) carrying the second annular anchoring structures from the second    storage region to the first storage region;-   d) feeding pairs of second annular anchoring structures from the    first storage region to the bead-forming machine.

The Applicant has verified that by use of said method it is possible tomanage annular anchoring structures different in size (fitting) or inthe type of the various elements (bead core, filling insert, etc.) foreach tyre batch under production during a given workshift. In thismanner the technological flexibility is increased while the productioncapacity of the building plant is maintained substantially constant.

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a plant forbuilding tyres for vehicle wheels, comprising:

-   a device for building carcass sleeves on building drums;-   a bead-forming machine;-   a first storage region;-   a second storage region;-   a first transport device movable between a picking-up position of    pairs of annular anchoring structures in the first storage region    and a release position of said pairs of annular anchoring structures    in the bead-forming machine;-   a second transport device movable between a first engagement    position in the first storage region and a second engagement    position in the second storage region, to move a plurality of    annular anchoring structures between the first storage region and    the second storage region and vice versa.

The present invention, in at least one of the aforesaid aspects, canfurther have one or more of the preferred features hereinafterdescribed.

Preferably, in a preferred embodiment it comprises:

-   e) loading a plurality of first annular anchoring structures into    said second storage region;-   f) carrying the first annular anchoring structures from the second    storage region to the first storage region.

More preferably the sequential cyclic repetition of actions a) to f) isincluded.

Preferably, said action b) takes place during transport of the firstannular anchoring structures to said bead-forming machine.

Preferably, said action f) takes place during transport of the secondannular anchoring structures to said bead-forming machine.

The Applicant has found that during production of a first tyre batch,the operator has sufficient time to start preparation of the annularanchoring structures (with different sizes or different structure)intended for the following batch by manually arranging them in thesecond storage region, so that they are ready for being automaticallypicked up when they are required for production of said following batch.

Preferably, the second annular anchoring structures are carried from thesecond storage region to the first storage region by shifting basketseach containing a plurality of said second annular anchoring structures.

Preferably, the first annular anchoring structures are carried from thesecond storage region to the first storage region through shifting ofbaskets each containing a plurality of said first annular anchoringstructures.

Shifting of groups of annular anchoring structures contained in basketsappears to be quick and simple.

Preferably, action b) comprises: bringing the second annular anchoringstructures to a loading location of the second storage region.

Preferably, action e) comprises: bringing the first annular anchoringstructures to a loading location of the second storage region.

Loading of the annular anchoring structures takes place at apredetermined point without being it necessary to bring said structuresto different positions of the second storage region.

Preferably, the first annular anchoring structures or the second annularanchoring structures are loaded into a basket placed in the loadinglocation.

The annular anchoring structures are manually loaded in the loadinglocation and the operator has all the time required for loading them,picking them up from a container in which they are horizontally disposedupon each other and taking them to the loading location.

In a preferred embodiment, provision is made for: moving the firstannular anchoring structures or the second annular anchoring structuresfrom the loading location to storage locations of the second storageregion.

Once loaded at the loading location, the annular anchoring structuresare moved to other locations of the same second storage region waitingfor their subsequent use.

Preferably, the first annular anchoring structures or the second annularanchoring structures are moved from the loading location to storagelocations of the second storage region through shifting of baskets eachcontaining a plurality of said first annular anchoring structures orsecond annular anchoring structures, respectively.

Also during this movement, shifting of groups of annular anchoringstructures contained in baskets appears to be quick and simple.

According to a preferred embodiment, provision is made for: moving thefirst annular anchoring structures or the second annular anchoringstructures from the loading location directly to the first storageregion.

If there are free areas in the first storage region, once the firstannular anchoring structures are loaded at the loading location, theyare moved directly thereinto, waiting for their following use.

Preferably, the first annular anchoring structures or the second annularanchoring structures are moved from the loading location directly to thefirst storage region by shifting baskets each containing a plurality ofsaid first annular anchoring structures or second annular anchoringstructures, respectively.

Also during this movement, shifting of groups of annular anchoringstructures contained in baskets appears to be quick and simple.

Shifting of the baskets takes place in a clever manner depending on thefree space in the two storage regions, acting in such a manner that: inthe first region there is always the presence of at least one basketcontaining the correct annular anchoring structures for production ofthe tyre batch in progress; the first and/or second region containbaskets having the correct annular anchoring structures for productionof the following tyre batch; and the empty baskets reach the loadinglocation for being filled.

According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided for:

-   building first carcass sleeves of a first tyre batch on building    drums, wherein each first carcass sleeve includes at least one    carcass ply;-   feeding said building drums with the first carcass sleeves in    succession to said bead-forming machine.

Preferably, it is provided for:

-   fitting said pairs of first annular anchoring structures on each    first carcass sleeve, forming pairs of beads.

More preferably, it is provided for:

-   moving away, in succession, each building drum with said first    carcass sleeve provided with pairs of beads, from the bead-forming    machine.

More preferably, action c) takes place during formation of each pair ofbeads on each first carcass sleeve.

According to a preferred embodiment, it is provided for:

-   building second carcass sleeves of a second tyre batch on building    drums, wherein each second carcass sleeve comprises at least one    carcass ply;-   feeding the building drums with the second carcass sleeves in    succession to the bead-forming machine.

Preferably, provision is made for:

-   fitting said pairs of second annular anchoring structures on each    second carcass sleeve, forming pairs of beads.

More preferably, provision is made for:

-   moving away, in succession, each building drum with said second    carcass sleeve provided with pairs of beads, from the bead-forming    machine.

Preferably, the empty baskets are shifted from the first storage regionto the second storage region.

Production of the following batch starts immediately after the end ofthe preceding batch production, because the plant is already programmedfor carrying out production of the carcass sleeves of the followingbatch with the related specifications on the building drums, and thepreviously prepared correct annular anchoring structures are alreadyavailable in the first storage region.

According to a preferred embodiment, a plurality of baskets is providedthat can be housed in the first storage region and in the second storageregion, wherein the baskets are each able to hold a plurality of annularanchoring structures.

According to a different embodiment, a third movable transport device isprovided between the building device and the bead-forming machine, fortaking the building drums with the carcass sleeves devoid of annularanchoring structures from the building device to the bead-formingmachine and for moving the building drums with the carcass sleevesprovided with pairs of annular anchoring structures away from thebead-forming machine.

Preferably, the first transport device is interposed between thebead-forming machine and the first storage region.

Preferably, the second transport device is interposed between the firststorage region and the second storage region.

Preferably, the third transport device is interposed between thebead-forming machine and the first transport device.

Due to this arrangement, a free region disposed in side by siderelationship with the second storage region can be obtained in which theoperator can move and work for loading the annular anchoring structuresof the subsequent batch picking them up from the suitable containers inwhich they are stored upon each other. This arrangement further allows aregion in side by side relationship with the bead-forming machine (lyingon the opposite side relative to the first storage region) to be leftfree for access by the operator should possible servicing orinterventions be required, or merely, for visual and touch control ofthe correct formation of the beads (quality monitoring).

Preferably, the first storage region extends in a horizontal direction.

More preferably, the first storage region comprises a plurality of firststorage locations disposed in mutual side by side relationship alongsaid horizontal direction and each adapted to receive a basket.

Preferably, the first storage region comprises a plurality of secondstorage locations superposed on the first storage location. The firststorage region is defined by a frame of simple structure, easy accessand cheap.

In a preferred embodiment, the first transport device comprises:

-   a first guide extending in side by side relationship with, and    parallel to the first storage region;-   a first truck;-   at least one first arm for picking up annular anchoring structures,    which is mounted on the first truck and is movable between the first    storage region and the bead-forming machine.

By sliding along the first guide, moving vertically, moving close to oraway from the first storage region and close to or away from thebead-forming machine, the first transport device easily reaches allbaskets stored in said first storage region and is also able to bringthe annular anchoring structures picked up from said baskets, onto thebead-forming machine.

Preferably, the second storage region substantially extends parallel tothe first storage region.

Preferably, the second storage region comprises a plurality of thirdstorage locations disposed in mutual side by side relationship with eachother and parallel to said horizontal direction and each adapted toreceive a basket.

Preferably, the second storage region comprises a plurality of fourthstorage locations superposed on the third storage locations.

The second storage region has a structure similar to or identical withthat of the first storage region.

Preferably, the second storage region comprises a loading locationaccessible by an operator and adapted to receive one of said pluralityof baskets to be filled with the annular anchoring structures.

The operator must only move between the containers for the annularanchoring structures and the loading location because the followingbasket-shifting operations are managed by the plant.

Preferably, the second transport device comprises:

-   a second guide extending in side by side relationship with, and    parallel to the second storage region and put between said first    storage region and second storage region;-   a second truck slidable on said second guide;-   at least one second arm for picking up one of said plurality of    baskets, which is mounted on the second truck and is movable between    the second storage region and first storage region.

By sliding along the second guide, moving vertically, moving close to oraway from the first storage region and close to or away from the secondstorage region, the second transport device easily reaches all storedbaskets and is able to shift them between one storage region and theother.

Preferably, the third transport device comprises:

-   a third guide substantially extending in side by side relationship    with, and parallel to the first guide, put between said first guide    and the bead-forming machine and extending as far as the building    device;-   at least one support for the building drum slidable on the third    guide.

Preferably, the third transport device comprises a first support and asecond support for respective building drums.

Preferably, the first transport device comprises a third arm for pickingup a building drum from the first support and laying it down in thebead-forming machine and for laying down a building drum picked up fromthe bead-forming machine on the second support.

The first transport device performs several functions, i.e. it unloads abuilding drum provided with carcass sleeve on which the beads havealready been formed by the bead-forming machine, loads a subsequent drumprovided with carcass sleeve but without beads, into the bead-formingmachine and brings the annular anchoring structures intended for thesubsequent drum into the bead-forming machine.

Further features and advantages will become more apparent from thedetailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of amethod of controlling the management of annular anchoring structures anda plant for building tyres for vehicle wheels, in accordance with thepresent invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This description will be set out hereinafter with reference to theaccompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting example, in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a top view of a plant for building tyresin accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows a portion of the plant in FIG. 1 in detail;

FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows a diametrical section of a tyre forvehicle wheels obtained by means of the plant seen in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows an annular anchoring structure being part of the tyre inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a radial section of the annular anchoring structure of FIG. 4.

With reference to the drawings, a plant for building tyres 2 inaccordance with the present invention has been generally denoted at 1.

Plant 1 is designed for manufacturing tyres 2 (FIG. 3) essentiallycomprising at least one carcass ply 3 preferably internally coated witha layer of airtight elastomeric material, or a so-called liner 4, twoso-called “beads” 5 integrating respective annular anchoring structures6 including respective bead cores 6 a possibly associated withelastomeric fillers 6 b and in engagement with the circumferential edgesof the carcass ply 3, a belt structure 7 applied at a radially externalposition to the carcass ply 3, a tread band 8 applied at a radiallyexternal position to the belt structure 7, in a so-called crown regionof tyre 2, and two sidewalls 9 applied to the carcass ply at laterallyopposite positions, each at a side region of tyre 2, extending from thecorresponding bead 5 to the corresponding side edge of the tread band 8.

Plant 1 preferably comprises a carcass-structure building line 10, inwhich a carcass structure including at least one of the carcass plies 3and the annular anchoring structures 6 is formed on a building drum 11.

The carcass-structure building line 10 comprises a device 12 forbuilding carcass sleeves on the building drums 11.

The building device 12 comprises a plurality of stations 13. Forinstance, a first station 13 forms liner 5, preferably through windingof a continuous elongated element of elastomeric material into mutuallyadjacent and/or at least partly overlapped coils and distributed alongthe forming surface of the first forming drum 11. In at least one secondstation 13 of the building device 12 manufacture of one or more carcassplies 4 can be carried out, said plies being preferably obtained bylaying strip-like elements obtained by cutting to size a continuousstrip of elastomeric material including textile or metallic cordsdisposed adjacent and parallel to each other, on the building drum 11,in a circumferentially approached relationship.

The carcass-structure building line 10 further comprises a station 14dedicated to integrating the annular anchoring structures 6 into said atleast one carcass ply 4, through application of the annular anchoringstructures 6 themselves at an axially external position to the flaps ofsaid at least one carcass ply 4 pulled down in the direction of therotation axis of said building drum 11, which flaps are subsequentlyturned up around the annular anchoring structures 6.

Downstream of station 14 for integrating the annular anchoringstructures 6, further work stations 13 can be present, for making atleast one portion of an abrasion-proof element or the sidewalls 9, forexample.

Plant 1 further comprises a crown-structure building line 15 in which acrown structure comprising at least the belt structure 7 and preferablythe tread band 8 too, is formed on a forming drum 16. Indicated in FIG.1 is a plurality of work stations 17 belonging to the aforesaid line 15for crown-structure building and each of them is dedicated to formationof at least one portion of a tyre component on the second forming drum16. The forming drum 16 is sequentially transferred from one station tothe following one through suitable devices, not shown.

At least one building station 17 can be dedicated to manufacture of thebelt structure 7, preferably obtained either by laying down strip-likeelements formed by cutting to size a continuous strip of elastomericmaterial including preferably metallic cords disposed parallel to eachother, in circumferentially approached relationship and according to asuitable deposition angle relative to a plane perpendicular to therotation axis of the forming drum 16; and/or by winding at least onerubberised textile or metallic reinforcing cord into coils disposedaxially adjacent to each other in parallel to said plane perpendicularto the rotation axis of the forming drum 16. By way of example, a workstation 17 is preferably provided for manufacturing the tread band 8and/or the sidewalls 9. Tread band 8 and sidewalls 9 are preferablyobtained by winding of at least one continuous elongated element ofelastomeric material into coils disposed adjacent to each other and/orat least partly overlapped.

Plant 1 is further provided with an assembling and shaping station 18operatively associated with the carcass-structure building line 15 andthe crown-structure building line. In the assembling and shaping station18, the carcass structure is shaped into a toroidal conformation andassociated with the crown structure, so as to obtain a green tyre.

The green tyres built by the plant are sequentially transferred to acuring line 19, from which moulded and cured tyres 2 are obtained.

Station 14 dedicated to integration of the annular anchoring structures6 comprises a bead-forming machine 20, of the type described in WO2010/064066 for example, in the name of the Applicant, a first storageregion 21 and a second storage region 22 for said annular anchoringstructures 6.

In the embodiment shown, each annular anchoring structure 6 is formedwith a bead core 6 a including metal wires and an elastomeric portion 6b disposed at a radially external position around the bead core 6 a(FIGS. 4 and 5).

The station 14 for integration of the annular anchoring structures 6further comprises a plurality of baskets 23, in each of them a pluralityof said annular anchoring structures 6 being housed. By way of example,each basket holds some dozens of annular anchoring structures 6. Eachbasket 23, not shown and described in detail, has a plurality ofcompartments of vertical major extension in each of which a singleannular anchoring structure 6 is housed and disposed in a substantiallyvertical plane. The annular anchoring structures 6 disposed in a basket23 therefore lie in respective planes disposed in side by siderelationship with each other and substantially vertical.

The first storage region 21 is preferably defined by a frame, not shownin detail, mainly extending along a horizontal straight direction “X-X”.The frame accommodates at least one row of baskets 23 in side by siderelationship (FIG. 2) and each of them is placed in a respective firststorage location 21 a of the first storage region 21. In a preferredembodiment, the frame is a two-level frame and the baskets 23 can bedisposed in two superposed rows. Each row for instance comprises 10 to20 baskets 23. Therefore the first storage region comprises a pluralityof second storage locations superposed on the first storage locations 21a. By way of example, the frame can consist of a latticework.

The second storage region 22 too is preferably defined by a frame mainlyextending along said horizontal straight direction “X-X” andaccommodating at least one row of baskets 23 in side by siderelationship with each other, in respective third storage locations 22 a(FIG. 2). In a preferred embodiment, the frame is a two-level frame andthe baskets 23 can be disposed in two superposed rows. Each row forinstance comprises 10 to 20 baskets 23. The second storage region 22therefore comprises a plurality of fourth storage locations superposedon the third storage locations 22 a. By way of example this frame toocan consist of a latticework.

In a preferred embodiment, the frames of the first 21 and second 22storage regions are of similar structures.

The frame of the first storage region 21 is interposed between the frameof the second storage region 22 and the bead-forming machine 20.

A first transport device 24 comprising a first straight guide 25extending parallel to said frame of the first storage region 21 isplaced between the frame of the first storage region 21 and thebead-forming machine 20. Slidably installed on the first guide 25 is afirst truck 26 carrying a first arm 27. The first arm 27, preferably ananthropomorphic robot arm, has a pair of pliers capable of manipulatingor handling two annular anchoring structures 6. The first arm 27installed on the first truck 26, driven by a suitable control unit, isable to spatially move and bring the pliers close to each point of thefirst storage region 21 and close to the bead-forming machine 20. Thefirst arm 27 is therefore movable between a position for picking uppairs of annular anchoring structures 6 placed in baskets 23 of thefirst storage region 21 and a position for releasing said pairs ofannular anchoring structures 6 into the bead-forming machine 20.

A second transport device 28 is placed between the two parallel framesof the first 21 and second 22 storage regions and it comprises a secondstraight guide 29 extending parallel to both said frames. Slidablyinstalled on the second guide 29 is a second truck 30 carrying a pair ofsecond arms 31. The two second arms 31 are parallel to each other andperpendicular to said horizontal straight direction “X-X”, i.e. to thesecond guide 29. The two second arms 31 move together, relative to thesecond truck 30, along a direction parallel to their longitudinalextension and a vertical direction.

The second truck 30, driven by said control unit, is able to bring thesecond arms 31 close to each basket 23 positioned in the first storageregion 21 or in the second storage region 22. The second arms 31, stilldriven by said control unit, are movable on the second truck 30 betweena position at which they extend towards the first storage region 21 forengaging and picking up a basket 23 stowed therein or stowing a basket23 picked up from the second storage region 22 or the first storageregion 21 itself, and a position at which they extend towards the secondstorage region 22, for engaging and picking up a basket 23 stowedtherein or stowing a basket 23 picked up from the first storage region21 or the second storage region 22 itself.

A third transport device 32 comprising a third straight guide 33extending parallel to the first straight guide is placed between thebead-forming machine 20 and the first transport device 24. Slidablymovable on the third guide 33 is a first support 34 and a second support35, each capable of carrying a building drum 11. The third guide 33extends from the bead-forming machine 20 to the carcass-sleeve buildingdevice 12. In greater detail, one end 33 a of said third guide 33 isclose to an unloading region 12 a of the building device 12 at which thebuilding drums 11 provided with the carcass sleeve but still devoid ofthe annular anchoring structures 6 arrive. The same end 33 a of thethird guide 33 is also near a picking-up region 36 for the buildingdrums 11 coming from the bead-forming machine 20 (therefore providedwith the carcass sleeve and the annular anchoring structures 6) andintended for subsequent working operations.

The first truck 26 further carries a third arm 37 provided with suitablehooking mechanisms adapted to manipulate the building drums 11 one at atime. The third arm 37 is able to pick up a building drum 11 lying inthe bead-forming machine 20 and provided with the carcass sleeve and theannular anchoring structures 6 and lay it on the first support 34 or thesecond support 35. The third arm 37 is further able to pick up abuilding drum 11 lying on the first support 34 or the second support 35and provided with the carcass sleeve but not yet with the annularanchoring structures 6 and lay it in the bead-forming machine 20.

The station 14 for integration of the annular anchoring structures 6further comprises a region 38 for an operator “P”, disposed in side byside relationship with the second storage region 22 and on the oppositeside of said second storage region 22 relative to the second transportdevice 28. The operator “P” has access from such a region 38 to aloading location 39 being part of the second storage region 22 that inthe attached FIG. 2 is interposed between two storage locations 22 a. Inthe region 38 for the operator “P” containers 40 can be placed in whichthe annular anchoring structures 6 are disposed horizontally upon eachother.

During operation, plant 1 (FIG. 2) puts into practice the method of thepresent invention. The building drums 11 of a first tyre batch to bebuilt coming from the building device 12 and each provided with a firstcarcass sleeve are fed to the end 33 a of the third guide 33, insuccession. A handling device, not shown, picks up a building drum 11from the unloading region 12 a of the building device 12 and places iton the first support 34 and then picks up a building drum 11 coming fromthe bead-forming machine 20 from the second support 35 and places it inthe picking-up region 36. The first support 34 and second support 35translate on the third guide 33 until the bead-forming machine 20.

In the first storage region 21 baskets 23 are present which containfirst annular anchoring structures 6 having the correct features formounting on the first carcass sleeves of the first tyre batch beingproduced.

The third arm 37 unloads a building drum 11 provided with a firstcarcass sleeve and the annular anchoring structures 6 from thebead-forming machine 20 and places it on the second support 35.Subsequently, the third arm 37 picks up said building drum 11 withoutannular anchoring structures 6 from the first support 34 and loads it upin the bead-forming machine 20. The first arm 27 picks up a pair offirst annular anchoring structures 6 from one of baskets 23 and placesthem on a loading device of the bead-forming machine 20 of the typedisclosed in WO 2010/064066, for example. While the bead-forming machine20 is fitting the first annular anchoring structures 6 on opposite endsof the first carcass sleeve and is turning up each of the end flaps ofthe same sleeve around each first annular anchoring structure 6, thefirst support 34 and second support 35 translate on the third guide 33until the end 33 a of the third guide 33 for loading another firstbuilding drum 11 on the first support 34 and unloading the drum carriedby the second support 35. During repetition of the just described cyclefor production of the first batch, the operator “P” manually picks upsecond annular anchoring structures 6 intended for a subsequent tyrebatch from the containers 40 and manually loads them into the basket 23positioned in the loading location 39.

When (partial or full) loading of basket 23 placed in the loadinglocation 39 has been completed, the second transport device 28 picks itup and takes it to one of the storage locations 22 a of the secondstorage region 22 or directly to one of the storage location 21 a of thefirst storage region 21.

As baskets 23 containing the first annular anchoring structures 6intended for the first batch are cleared, the second transport device 28brings the empty baskets from the first storage region 21 to the secondstorage region 22 and brings the filled baskets 23 of the second annularanchoring structures 6 intended for the second tyre batch into the firststorage region 21.

When production of all tyres of the first batch has been completed,production of the second batch can immediately begin because the secondannular anchoring structures 6 are already within reach of the first arm27. The building drums 11 of the second tyre batch coming from thebuilding device 12 and provided each with a second carcass sleeve arefed towards the end 33 a of the third guide 33 in succession and thesecond annular anchoring structures 6 are loaded in the bead-formingmachine 20.

Meanwhile, the operator “P” can prepare third annular anchoringstructures 6 intended for a third batch, loading them into the loadinglocation 39. The above disclosed method goes on until each tyre batchdesigned for the current workshift has been completed.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A plant for building a tyre for a vehiclewheel, comprising: a device configured for building carcass sleeves onbuilding drums; a bead-forming machine; a first storage region; a secondstorage region; a first transport device movable between a picking-upposition of pairs of annular anchoring structures in the first storageregion and a release position of said pairs of annular anchoringstructures in the bead-forming machine; a second transport devicemovable between a first engagement position in the first storage regionand a second engagement position in the second storage region, to move aplurality of annular anchoring structures between the first storageregion and the second storage region, and vice versa; wherein the firsttransport device and the second transport device are each capable oftransporting first annular anchoring structures and second annularanchoring structures; wherein the second annular anchoring structuresare structurally different from the first annular anchoring structures;and wherein the plant is configured to simultaneously manage the firstannular anchoring structures and the second annular anchoringstructures.
 2. The plant as claimed in claim 1, comprising a pluralityof baskets that can be housed in the first storage region and in thesecond storage region, wherein each of said baskets is able to hold aplurality of annular anchoring structures.
 3. The plant as claimed inclaim 2, comprising a third transport device that is movable between thebuilding device and the bead-forming machine to bring the building drumswith the carcass sleeves devoid of annular anchoring structures from thebuilding device to the bead-forming machine and move the building drumswith the carcass sleeves provided with pairs of annular anchoringstructures away from the bead-forming machine.
 4. The plant as claimedin claim 3, wherein the first transport device is interposed between thebead-forming machine and the first storage region.
 5. The plant asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the second transport device is interposedbetween the first storage region and the second storage region.
 6. Theplant as claimed in claim 5, wherein the third transport device isinterposed between the bead-forming machine and the first transportdevice.
 7. The plant as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first storageregion extends in a horizontal direction.
 8. The plant as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the first storage region comprises a plurality of firststorage locations disposed in mutual side by side relationship alongsaid horizontal direction and each first storage region is adapted toreceive a basket.
 9. The plant as claimed in claim 8, wherein the firststorage region comprises a plurality of second storage locationssuperposed on the first storage location.
 10. The plant as claimed inclaim 9, wherein the first transport device comprises: a first guideextending in side by side relationship with, and parallel to the firststorage region; a first truck; at least one first arm configured forpicking up annular anchoring structures, said at least one first armbeing mounted on the first truck and is movable between the firststorage region and the bead-forming machine.
 11. The plant as claimed inclaim 10, wherein the second storage region substantially extendsparallel to the first storage region.
 12. The plant as claimed in claim2, wherein the first storage region extends in a horizontal direction,and wherein the second storage region comprises a plurality of thirdstorage locations disposed in mutual side by side relationship with eachother and parallel to said horizontal direction and each second storageregion is adapted to receive a basket.
 13. The plant as claimed in claim12, wherein the second storage region comprises a plurality of fourthstorage locations superposed on the third storage locations.
 14. Theplant as claimed in claim 13, wherein the second storage regioncomprises a loading location accessible by an operator and adapted toreceive one of said plurality of baskets.
 15. The plant as claimed inclaim 11, wherein the second transport device comprises: a second guideextending in side by side relationship with, and parallel to the secondstorage region and put between said first storage region and secondstorage region; a second truck slidable on said second guide; at leastone second arm configured for picking up one of said plurality ofbaskets that is mounted on the second truck and is movable between thesecond storage region and first storage region.
 16. The plant as claimedin claim 10, wherein the third transport device comprises: a third guidesubstantially extending in side by side relationship with, and parallelto the first guide, put between said first guide and the bead-formingmachine and extending as far as the building device; and at least onebuilding drum support slidable on the third guide.
 17. The plant asclaimed in claim 16, wherein the third transport device comprises afirst building drum support and a second building drum support.
 18. Theplant as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first transport device furthercomprises a third arm configured for picking up a building drum from thefirst building drum support and laying said building drum down in thebead-forming machine and configured for laying down a building drumpicked up from the bead-forming machine on the second building drumsupport.
 19. The plant as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first storageregion extends in a horizontal direction, and wherein the first storageregion comprises a plurality of first storage locations disposed inmutual side by side relationship along said horizontal direction andeach first storage region is adapted to receive a basket.
 20. The plantas claimed in claim 19, wherein the first storage region comprises aplurality of second storage locations superposed on the first storagelocation.
 21. The plant as claimed in claim 7, wherein the secondstorage region comprises a plurality of third storage locations disposedin mutual side by side relationship with each other and parallel to saidhorizontal direction and each second storage region is adapted toreceive a basket.
 22. The plant as claimed in claim 21, wherein thesecond storage region comprises a plurality of fourth storage locationssuperposed on the third storage locations.
 23. The plant as claimed inclaim 21, wherein the second storage region comprises a loading locationaccessible by an operator and adapted to receive one of said pluralityof baskets.
 24. The plant as claimed in claim 2, wherein the secondtransport device comprises: a second guide extending in side by siderelationship with, and parallel to the second storage region and putbetween said first storage region and second storage region; a secondtruck slidable on said second guide; at least one second arm configuredfor picking up one of said plurality of baskets that is mounted on thesecond truck and is movable between the second storage region and firststorage region.
 25. The plant as claimed in claim 3, wherein the thirdtransport device comprises: a third guide substantially extending inside by side relationship with, and parallel to the first guide, putbetween said first guide and the bead-forming machine and extending asfar as the building device; and at least one building drum supportslidable on the third guide.
 26. The plant as claimed in claim 25,wherein the third transport device comprises a first building drumsupport and a second building drum support.
 27. The plant as claimed inclaim 15, wherein the first transport device further comprises a thirdarm configured for picking up a building drum from the first buildingdrum support and laying said building drum down in the bead-formingmachine and configured for laying down a building drum picked up fromthe bead-forming machine on the second building drum support.